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“I love you, Mariella I love you so much it scares the hell out of me”

“No one has ever put me first before”

“Then it’s about time, don’t you think?” His s else makes sense”

He gripped the arhtensit depends on your answer”

Tears glimmered on her lashes at his heartfelt words “I could answer, if you asked me a question”

He let go of the chair and stood briefly, reaching into his pocket and then kneeling before her

“Marry ether, beneath the antique chandelier we found in the attic Share your life with ether here Please say yes”

He held out the ring There was no doubt in her mind that it was an antique She stared at the brilliant elitter of inset diamonds on either side

“It wasShe said that the emerald was a symbol of love and hope”

She was staggered to see the sheen of moisture in his eyes

“Don’t you see, Mari? That’s what you are to ht I’d ever have, certainly not together”

“Oh, Luca,” she whispered “I love you so s It certainly never happened foras I did I didn’t believe in it But I have a chance now, to believe, to have faith And I’d be a fool to let it go”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes Yes, yes!”

He gripped her fingers, pulled her to her feet and into his arms

He sta back and sliding the ring over her knuckle

“Mariella It is only right that she who carries her na Oh, Mari, what a future we have ahead of us”